WASHINGTON, DC, May 5, 2011 -- On May 17, the DC Water and Sewer Authority will break ground for two major projects at its Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Both projects are expected to deliver significant environmental improvements to the region.
The first is a $400 million installation of thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digesters that will "pressure-cook" the solids left over after wastewater treatment to produce combined heat and power. The system is expected to generate enough electricity to fuel one-third of the plant's needs.
The second is a $1 billion Enhanced Nutrient Removal Facility that will reduce the amount of nitrogen in the plant's wastewater effluent to meet the new U.S. EPA and Chesapeake Bay Program goals of 4.7 million pounds per year or less in 2014.
Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world and will be the first in North America to use thermal hydrolysis for digestion. Blue Plains was also recently credited with improvements in the Potomac River's water quality, achieved through nearly $1 billion in plant upgrades in the last decade.
The groundbreaking will be held May 17, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. (ET) at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Washington, DC.
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